Boy Interrupted
by Never Stop Believing in Love
Summary: Boyd is called out on a case interrupting his evening off.


**Disclaimer: I do not own the copyright for Waking the dead or its characters – all rights belong to the BBC**

**Content: Boyd and Grace **

**Rating: K**

**Hey everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope that you enjoy. **

**Boy Interrupted**

The smell hung thick in the air, infusing the atmosphere and clinging to his clothes. Rancid and unmistakeable.

"I'd say he's been dead weeks rather than days, but before you ask I can't be certain until I get him back to the lab."

Boyd looked down at Eve, her small frame hunched over the decomposing body beneath her and nodded in acknowledgement. He pointed towards the victim's head, "I'm guessing the cause of death has something to do with the massive piece of his skull that has been caved in?"

"I would say so, yes. But again I can't confirm cause of death ..."

"Until you get him back to the lab, yea yea I know," he dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"It stinks in here." Grace's familiar voice sounded behind him announcing her arrival. Boyd's head motioned towards the floor where the body lay. "Been here weeks, apparently..."

"Ah, that explains it then."

"Not that Eve can confirm anything until she gets him back to her lair"

"Lab."

"I know what I meant," Boyd retorted with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Hi, Eve." The psychologist smiled sympathetically towards her colleague in greeting. "So do we know who he is?"

Boyd shook his head. "Nope. I've only just got here myself. Spence is upstairs now trying to ascertain identity."

"Been out?" Grace asked with a raise of her eyebrows before she ran her eyes appraisingly up and down his clothes.

Boyd studied her for a few moments wondering if he should rise to her bait then simply replied, "Hmm, something like that."

"Blonde?" she teased.

"I'm not getting into this, Grace."

"Where's the fun in that?"

He sighed wistfully. "Fun is what I was having an hour ago ..." he said breaking into a boyish grin.

"You're incorrigible." Grace laughed, playfully bumping her shoulder against his arm.

"Well you asked," he replied deadpan turning his attention towards the door. "Spence, what have you got for me?" he inquired addressing the young DI as he entered the room.

"Driving licence in his wallet suggests he was George Connor, 49, lives at this address. Also, his wardrobe is crammed full of expensive top-end suits so possibly involved in business."

"Deal gone wrong?" Boyd suggested motioning once again towards the body.

"Maybe. Whatever the case he seriously pissed someone off."

"Enough for them to cave his head in and leave him lying in his own filth for weeks on end."

"I've called his details in; so far no one has reported him missing."

"No-one? That's weird, isn't it? No family?"

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Grace interjected passing a silver photo frame to Boyd.

He studied it carefully. "Wife and daughter?"

"Hmm it's a possibility. Most people only display photos of loved ones, or people who are close to them, in prominent places. This was on the bookshelf just over there." She pointed across the room towards the large wooden shelf nestled securely in the alcove.

"So if they are so close, how come they haven't reported him missing, huh?"

Grace shrugged. "I dunknow. Maybe they've separated and he's still hanging onto memories."

"He still loved her?"

"Maybe."

"Yea, and maybe she has a new partner who didn't like the possessive ex hanging around and decided to do something about it," Boyd said whilst demonstrating a downward motion with his arm mirroring hitting someone.

"It's a motive..." Spence offered with a shrug.

Boyd pondered. "Yea, yea it is. And we've been doing this job way too long. Facts are what we need. Cold. Hard. Facts. Spence, see what else you can find out about our Mr Connor. I want to know where he works, who his friends are, and who this woman is." Boyd thrust the photo frame into Spencer's hands pointing at the older attractive brunette.

"Yes, boss."

"Eve, ballpark time frame please?"

"We should be able to move him back to CCU within the hour, but he'll have to wait until morning before I can look at him properly. Some of us have plans for tonight. Or what's left of the night anyway."

"I know that feeling," Boyd replied almost inaudibly. "Time and cause of death?"

"Initial findings… late morning. We'll have to wait for toxicology etc. You know that."

"Never change do you, Eve?" he said rhetorically, "Alright tomorrow afternoon latest. Have a good night, eh?"

"I will, you too."

A smile settled on his lips. "I fully intend too."

Turning, Boyd walked back into the hallway. The apartment on the Thames was nice, well maintained and a welcome change to some of the squalor they usually found themselves in.

"So, is she nice then, your blonde?" Grace asked breaking into his thoughts.

"I didn't say she was blonde. I didn't even say she was a she."

Grace held his gaze, her blue eyes filled with amusement. "I know you, Boyd."

"You know too damn much!" Boyd murmured.

"Sorry?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

"So come on then, is she nice?"

His eyes narrowed quizzically. "Why are you so interested?"

"Just friendly concern."

"For me?"

"No, for her!" Grace guffawed.

"Oh, that's harsh, Grace. Anyway you don't need to worry about her. She's feisty, can take care of herself, you know? I like that about her."

"Well she'd need to be able to hold her own with you."

"That's not a problem for her, I can assure you ... She's... very nice, you'd like her. Though she may become a little... needy."

"Needy?"

"Yea, you know, wanting to talk all the damn time."

Grace rolled her eyes, tutting loudly. "That's called being a woman, Boyd."

"The flaw of the finer sex eh?"

"Depends on how you look at it."

"So come on then..." Boyd said leaning his weight comfortably against the wall.

"Come on, what?"

"What or whom did we drag you away from this evening?"

Grace smiled innocently as she replied. "Just a quiet night in front of the telly. Pretty boring really, if I'm honest."

"Boring, eh?"

"Yea."

"And you usually dress like that for a night of catching up on the latest soap drivel, do you?"

"What? This old thing?" Grace laughed pulling at the expensive-looking skirt that skimmed artfully over her curves.

Boyd's eyes fell on her admiringly and followed the outline of her body. A long sigh escaped from his lips. "He's a very lucky man, Dr Foley," he remarked, amused at the flush his words brought to her cheeks.

"I never said there was a man," she finally retorted, her coyness apparent.

"I know you, Grace." Boyd smiled as he turned her own words against her.

"Touché!"

They still were smiling holding the others gaze comfortably when Spence called down the hallway to them.

"Sir, I've made a few calls, and base is running the necessary on our man. Okay if I get off now?"

"You get lucky tonight too, Spence?"

"With a face like this ….. I was born lucky!"

Boyd laughed heartily at the young DI's confidence, "Sure you were. Go on, get outta here. Don't stay out too late though, early start tomorrow. I want that information on my desk first thing. Yes?"

"Yes, sir. Night, Grace."

"Goodnight, Spencer, see you in the morning."

Boyd turned his attention back to Grace. "You'd better head off too, Grace, get back to your boring evening."

"Oh, and of course, there's a certain blonde waiting for you ..."

He smiled roguishly, pushing himself off the wall he was leaning on. "I hope so, Grace. I hope so."

The sound of the doorbell echoed throughout the hallway of his modest semi- causing a smile to pull at his lips in anticipation. Placing the whiskey he had been drinking on the coffee table, he padded barefoot towards the door.

"You were supposed to be waiting for me," he said swinging the door open to the elements while standing back to allow his visitor entrance.

"Sorry, couldn't be helped," she replied reaching to brush her lips gently across his.

"Really?"

"Hmm, had something I had to do."

"Couldn't get away huh?"

"Nope, sorry, I couldn't."

Boyd's smile widened as he playfully wrapped his arms around her waist. "So where were we before I got rudely interrupted?" he asked pulling her close to himself while placing tender kisses on the base of her neck.

She laughed easily against him. "Well I believe I was having a boring night in front of the telly and you were amusing yourself with a 'nice but needy' blonde."

"You forgot about feisty ..."

"Don't push your luck, Boyd," she said pressing her palms firmly against his chest.

He feigned innocence. "What? I told you, feisty is one of the things I love about you, Grace," he said continuing to deftly kiss her.

"You also said something about a very lucky man ..."

"Did I?"

"Uh-huh"

"Well, must be true then."

"Really?"

"Yea. Really. You know, Grace, I was right about something else too."

"What's that, then?"

"You really do talk too damn much."

Fin


End file.
